This also came to be used in civil aviation, but confusion continued, not least by the use of a separate English alphabet in South America. The RAF developed an alphabet based on both of these but when the US Air Force joined the war, all Allied Forces adopted what became known as the Able, Baker alphabet. Why did it need to be standardised?ĭuring the First World War, the Royal Navy used an alphabet that began Apples, Butter and Charlie, while British infantrymen in the trenches had their own version, which started Ack, Beer and Charlie. Radio communications have moved on in terms of technical sophistication since then, but the alphabet is still in place in case of confusion, error or bad reception to make sure the correct message is transmitted, received and understood. While not technically a phonetic alphabet (which helps individuals in the pronunciations of words), the Nato alphabet meant differences in accents, languages and pronunciations stopped being a problem. Facebook shuts down experiment after AI invents own language.Experts working on ‘universal language’ to help humans speak to aliens.All flights and planes are given names with identifying letters, but characters such as M and N or D and B can sound very similar, even when said by someone standing right next to you. It was created as a standardised way for aircrews around the world to make themselves recognised and understood. Here is how the words were chosen and how the alphabet has evolved. The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) formally adopted the final version of the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet - better known as the Nato phonetic alphabet or simply the Alpha, Bravo, Charlie alphabet - on 1 January 1956.īut said that “agreement on the words used was not entirely straightforward, with some words sparking strong debate”, and many of them have changed over time. To that end, the phonetic alphabet holds vital significance among militaries across the world – and has done for more than six decades. With 30 countries making up the organisation, effective communication between them is key. ![]() The build-up of troops on the Russia-Ukraine border has revitalised Nato, the military alliance that looked to be faltering, or even in a terminal decline, only a few months ago.
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